Rigging for tilting ladles



Aug. 17, 1965 A. G. MAZARAKIS RIGGING FOR TIL'I'ING LADLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 12, 1963 lllllll HIIH Illl llllll III jlllll.

INVENTOR. ARTHUR 6. MAZARAK/S A r r arney Aug. 17, 1965 A. G. MAZARAKIS 3,200,453

RIGGING FOR TILTING LADLES Filed July 12, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m 3- TE-.4-

Ml VEN TOR. Al? THUR 6. MAZARA/(IS Attorney United States Patent .0

3,206,453 REGGHQG FOR TELTING LADLEE;

Arthur G. Mararakis, Hubbard, flhio, assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Eersey Filed .Iuly 12, 1963, Ser. No. 294,594 7 Claims. (Cl. 22-82) This invention relates to ladles for handling molten material such as steel, iron, slag and the like and, as indicated, to a tilting rigging therefor. Such rigging, more specifically, comprises a tilting lever that has a permanent pivotal connection on the ladle to be operated thereby.

Ladles for transferring molten metal are suspended from a mill crane by side trunnions about which they can be pivoted to a tilted position for slag and skull removing operations, or for discharging metal therefrom, for example, when the ladles are used in making hot metal additions to an open hearth. Tilting of the ladle is usually effected by a link chain that is manually connected to a lug on the ladle bottom and to the hook of an auxiliary hoist suspended from the mill crane, which when elevated operates to tilt the ladle about its trunnions. The manual operations required to connect the chain to the ladle and to the auxiliary crane hoist hook in ladle-tilting apparatus of this character are undesirable because they delay the ladle-tilting operation and must be performed under hazardous working conditions.

Various forms of linkages permanently attached to the ladle have been proposed for the purpose of eliminating .the manual chain hooking operations required by the ladle tilting practice described above. The provision of an improved and simplified tilting linkage of this type is one of the principal objects of this invention.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view showing the general arrangement of the tilting linkage of this invention with respect to the ladle on which it is mounted and the hook of an auxiliary crane hoist for effecting its operation;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the linkage shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the tilting lever that forms a part of the tilting linkage of this invention, and FIG- URE 4 is a View looking from the right thereof;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the bracket that pivotally supports the tilting lever on the ladle; and

FIGURE 6 is a view taken substantially along the line VI-VI of FIGURE 5.

As shown in the drawings, the rigging comprises a tilting lever l, a supporting bracket 2, which conveniently may be one of the legs for supporting the ladle on a floor surface, and a pivot pin 3 for mounting the lever 1 on the bracket 2. The relative arrangement of these parts with respect to a ladle 4 and the book 5 of an auxiliary crane hoist is shown in FIGURE 1. The bracket 2 is welded adjacent the bottom edge of the ladle 4 in a position with the axis of the pin 3 parallel to the tilting axis of the ladle as defined by its side trunnions (not shown). The lever l is supported on the pin 3 in a position normally projecting outwardly and upwardly from the bottom of the ladle so that it may be engaged by the hook 5 without the manual assistance of an operator standing underneath the ladle 4.

The lever 1 comprises a pair of laterally spaced side plates 6 that have reinforcing plates 7 welded in position along the facing surfaces thereon. These parts are held in spaced relation by a transversely extending plate 8 and a pin 9 at the outer ends of the side plates 6. In

addition the pin provides a shackle with which the hook 5 engages when the auxiliary hoist is operated to effect a tilting operation of the ladle 41. The plates 6 and 7 at the other end of the lever 1 have openings It) in which opposite ends of the pivot pin 3 are received. The openings 10 are elongated slots that provide for rotation of the lever 1 about spaced pivot axes respectively positioned at opposite ends of the slots 10 for a purpose to be described.

The bracket 2 comprises a pair of laterally spaced parallel plates 11 that have their upper edges 12 shaped to the contour of the ladle 4 and have welded connections therewith. The side plates 11 are braced by transversely extending plates 13 and 14 at the inner ends of the bracket 2. The pivot pin 3 is supported by the plates 11, which have aligned openings 15 through which the pin 3 extends. Plates 21 welded in position along the outer faces of the plates 11 over the pivot openings 15 further reinforce the sides of the bracket 2. Stops in the form of plates 16 are welded to the facing surfaces of the bracket plates 11. The plates 16 have stop surfaces 17 that engage holding surfaces 18 on the plates 6 and 7 at the inner end of the lever 1 to hold it against pivotal movement in a counter-clockwise direction from the position shown in FIGURE 1.

After the bracket 2 is connected by welding to the ladle 4 the lever l is assembled thereon by inserting the pivot pin 3 through the lever openings 10 and the bracket openings 15. The lever 1 can of course move relatively to the pin 3 a distance determined by the length'of the slots It) and thus between two positions in which it can rotate about the axis of the pin 3. In one of these positions, the normal position of the lever 1 the pivot pin is located at the upper ends 1') of the slots 18 as shown in FIGURE 1 and, in this position, the stop surfaces 17 and 18 engage to limit pivotal movement of the lever 1 in a counter-clockwise direction. This is the transfer position of the lever 1 during transfer of the ladle 4, for example, from the hot metal car to a location in which its contents may be discharged upon tilting into the charging spout of an open hearth furnace. In this position, the lever 1 projects outwardly and upwardly with respect to the ladle 4 so that the shackle pin 9 and the hook 5 can be engaged by the operator of the auxiliary crane hoist without the necessity of manual assistance by a worker standing underneath the ladle. In order that this engagement may be elfected readily by manipulation of the hook 5 by the crane hoist operator, the lever has a length such that its shackle pin 9 is arranged outwardly with respect to the upper edge of the ladle 4 which will thus not interfere with the manipulation of the hoist that is necessary for this purpose. While engagement of the stop surfaces 17 and 18 are etfective to limit pivotal movement of the lever 11 in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 1, the lever 1 is free to pivot in an opposite direction upwardly to a position in which it is arranged along the side of the ladle as illustrated by the dotted lines in FIGURE 1, this being desirable when the ladle is to be stored or carried, for example, on a hot metal transfer car.

After the ladle has been transferred to the point where a discharge or dumping operation thereof is desired, the hook 5 is elevated to tilt the ladle 4 about its trunnion axis in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 1. During the initial upward movement of the book 5 for this purpose, its engagement with the shackle pin 9 operates to lift the lever 1 upwardly to a position in which the pin 3 is bottomed in the opposite or lower ends 23 of the slots 10. During this initial movement of the lever 1, the stop surfaces 17 and 18 move out of holding engage ment with each other to free the lever l for pivotal movement in a counter-clockwise direction about the pivot pin 3 to thereby effect a tilting movement of the ladle 4, which will be accomplished by continued upward movement of the crane hoist hook 5. This construction enables the ladle 4 to be tilted through an angle of 180 to an inverted position and, if necessary, through an angle of 270.

After the ladle 4 has been tilted to discharge its contents, lowering movement of the hook 5 will result in return movement of the ladle 4 to the load carrying or transfer position shown in FIGURE 1. During the initial lowering movement, the hook 5 and lever I carry a portion of the load of the ladle which is effective to maintain the lower ends 20 of the slots in pivotal engagement with the pin 3. As the ladle 4 moves toward its upright vertical position, this load is transferred gradually from the hook 5 to the ladle trunnions and just before movement of the ladle to the upright position shown in FIGURE 1 is completed, the load is removed from the lever 1 which then gravitates downwardly to the position shown in FIGURE 1 with the pivot pin 3 engaged in the upper ends 19 of the slots 10. As the lever 1 moves to this position, the stop surfaces 17 and 18 move into abutting engagement to hold the lever 1 against further pivotal movement in a counter-clockwise direction about the pin 3.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the ladle tilting rigging of this invention provides for tilting of a ladle 4 without the assistance of an operator standing underneath the ladle 4. Attention is particularly directed to the fact that the elongated shape of the pivot pin slots 10 in the lever 1 provides for pivotal movement of the lever about two axes that are spaced vertically relative to each other as viewed in FIGURE 1. The upper pivot axis of the lever 1 is defined by engagement of the pivot pin 3 in the upper ends 19 of the slots 10 and further provides for movement of the stop surfaces 17 and 18 into abutting engagement with each other to hold the lever in its normal position projecting outwardly with respect to the ladle 4 for engagement of the hook 5 with its shackle pin 9. The lower pivot axis of the lever 1 is defined by engagement of the pivot pin 3 in the lower ends 20 of the slots 10 and provides for free pivotal movement of the lever 1 during tilting operation of the ladle 4 without interference from the stop surfaces 17 and 18. Attention is further directed to the fact that the slots 10 extend angularly relative to the longitudinal center line of the lever 1 and that, in the position shown in FIGURE 1, they extend in a substantially vertical direction to provide for movement of the lever 1 in response to vertical movement of the hook 5 to difierent vertical positions in which the opposite ends 19 and 20 of its slots 10 engage with the pivot pin 3, and that these vertical movements of the lever 1 are eflected without imparting any substantial tilting movement to the ladle 4.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A rigging for tilting a ladle about its trunnion axis comprising a tilting lever having a shackle at its outer end for lifting engagement by a hoisting hook, a bracket on said ladle adjacent its bottom edge, and means pivotally mounting the other end of said lever on said bracket for pivotal movement relative to said ladle, said mounting means including means operating to hold said lever in a normal position projecting outwardly from said ladle in which said lever shackle may be engaged by a crane hoist hook and providing for pivotal movement from said position in one direction toward said ladle, and means responsive to upward movement of said lever by a hoist hook for rendering said holding means inelfective and for releasing said lever for pivotal movement in an opposite pivotal direction from said holding position during tilting movement of said ladle by said lever.

2. A rigging as defined in claim 1 characterized by said lever holding means comprising a stop on said bracket with which said lever engages upon pivotal outward movement to said normal holding position.

3. A rigging as defined in claim 2 characterized by said responsive means comprising means providing for movement of said lever relative to said bracket to a position in which it moves out of holding engagement with said stop and is released for pivotal movement in said opposite pivotal direction.

4. A rigging as defined in claim 1 characterized by said mounting means comprising a pin and slot connection providing for movement of said lever about spaced pivot points, the distance between said pivots being determined by the length of the slot.

5. A rigging as defined in claim 4 characterized by said slot being formed in said lever and extending in a substantially vertical direction relative to said ladle when said lever is in said normal holding position.

6. A rigging for tilting a ladle about its trunnion axis comprising a tilting lever having a shackle at its outer end for lifting engagement by a hoisting hook and an elongated slot in its other end, a bracket on said ladle adjacent its bottom edge, a horizontal pivot pin on said bracket, said pin projecting through said lever slot and said lever being movable vertically between two positions in which said pin is positioned at opposite ends of said slot respectively and provides for pivotal movement of said lever about vertically spaced pivot axes, and means comprising a stop engageable with said lever when said pin is at one end of said slot for holding said lever in a normal position projecting outwardly from said ladle in which said shackle may be engaged by a crane hoist hook and with said lever being pivotal from said position in a direction toward said ladle, vertical movement of said lever to move said pin to the other end of said slot being effective to move it out of engagement with said stop and provide for its movement in an opposite pivotal direction during tilting movement of said ladle.

7. A rigging for tilting a ladle about its trunnion axis comprising a tilting lever having a shackle at its outer end for lifting engagement by a hoisting hook, a bracket on said ladle adjacent its bottom edge, means mounting said lever for pivotal movement on said bracket including mounting parts respectively on said lever and on said bracket, one of said parts comprising a horizontal pivot pin and the other of said parts having an elongated slot therein, said pin projecting through said slot and providing for movement of said lever between two positions in which said pin is positioned at opposite ends of said slot respectively and provides for pivotal movement of said lever about spaced pivot axes, and means comprising a stop engageable with said lever when said pin is at one end of said slot for holding said lever in a normal position projecting outwardly from said ladle in which said shackle may be engaged by a crane hoist hook and with said lever being pivotal from said position in a direction toward said ladle, movement of said pin to the other end of said slot being effective to move said lever out of engagement with said stop and to provide for its movement in an 0 site pivotal direction during tilting movement of said ladle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,798,758 7/57 Yakopec 294-73 2,910,746 11/59 Schweinberg 22-82 XR WILLIAM J. STEPHENSON, Primary Examiner.

ERNEST A. FALLER, 1a., Examiner. 

1. A RINGING FOR TILTING A LADLE ABOUT ITS TRUNNION AXIS COMPRISING A TILTING LEVER HAVING A SHACKLE AT ITS OUTER END FOR LIFTING ENGAGEMENT BY A HOISTING HOOK, A BRACKE ON SAID LADLE ADJACENT ITS BOTTOM EDGE, AND MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING THE OTHER END OF SAID LEVER ON SAID BRACKET FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID LADLE, SAID MOUNTING MEANS INCLUDING MEANS OPERATING TO HOLD SAID LEVER IN A NORMAL POSITION PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID LADLE IN WHICH SAID LEVER SHACKLE MAY BE ENGAGED BY A CRANE HOIST HOOK AND PROVIDING FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT FROM SAID POSITION IN ONE DIRECTION TOWARD SAID LADLE, AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO UPWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID LAYER BY A HOIST HOOK FOR RENDERING SAID HOLDING MEANS INEFFECTIVE AND FOR RELEASING SAID LEVER FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT IN AN OPPOSITE PIVOTAL DIRECTION FROM SAID HOLDING POSITION DURING TILTING MOVEMENT OF SAID LADLE BY SAID LEVER. 